Method for managing a product strategy

Abstract

Method and arrangement for managing a product strategy over a period of time spanning one or more generations. The method considers people's lifestyle, life stage, generational belonging, and product characteristics in order to predict necessary changes of product requirements for one or more target groups. The arrangement includes a data processing system having a computer processing means for processing data and a storage means for storing data on a storage medium. Input data includes demographic data, as well as current and predicted product requirement data for selected lifestyles and life stages. By processing and correlating the data, a product specification is obtained that determines a product strategy for the product or products in question. The invention also relates to a method for managing a product strategy using said processing system.

1 . data processing system for managing a product development strategy for a time period extending over one or more generations of consumers, said system comprising: 
 a computer processing means for processing data;    a storage means for storing data on a storage medium;    a first means for processing data relating to life stages of consumers and the statistical division of said life stages into distinct groups within each generation of consumers;    a second means for processing data relating to lifestyles within groups of life stages for different generations and division of said lifestyles into distinct groups within each generation of consumers;    a third means for processing data relating to generations within groups of life stages and groups of different lifestyles into distinct groups within each generation of consumers;    a fourth means for processing data relating to current and future product characteristics required by consumers, determining product requirements made by consumers in different lifestyles within each life stage and each generation of consumers;    a fourth fifth means for processing and correlating data from the first, second third and fourth means in order to determine required product characteristics for future products or for changes in product characteristics in current products for each lifestyle and life stage respectively; and    means for creating locations on the storage medium for storing and retrieving data relating to required product characteristics for current or future products.    
     
     
         2 . The data processing system according to c  claim 1  said first means further comprises: 
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium statistical data for each life stage within each generation; and  
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data identifying groups of life stages within each generation.  
 
     
     
         3 . The data processing system according to c  claim 1  said second means further comprises: 
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium statistical data relating to values and preferences for each lifestyle within each generation; and  
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data identifying groups of lifestyles within each generation.  
 
     
     
         4 . The data processing system according to c  claim 1  said third means further comprises: 
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium statistical data relating to values and preferences for each generation within each life stage and lifestyle; and  
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data identifying generations within each life stage and lifestyle.  
 
     
     
         5 . The data processing system according to c  claim 1  said fourth means further comprises: 
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium statistical data relating to product characteristics for a single product or a group of products to be evaluated;  
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data identifying product related requirements for each life stage within each generation; and  
 means for inputting and storing on the storage medium data identifying product related requirements for each lifestyle within each generation.  
 
     
     
         6 . The data processing system according to c  claim 1  said fifth means further comprises: 
 means for comparing product-related requirements for each lifestyle with product related requirements for consecutive life stages within each lifestyle;  
 means for identifying changes in product related requirements between consecutive life stages within each lifestyle; and  
 means for comparing product characteristics of a current product with the identified changes in product related requirements, in order to determine required changes in product characteristics for the current product or a projected future product.  
 
     
     
         7 . A method for managing a product strategy over a time period extending over one or more generations of consumers, said method comprising the steps of: 
 analazingi a frst set of data relating to life stages of consumers for statistical division of said life stages into distinct groups within each generation of consumers;    analyzinge a scond set of data relating to lifestyles within groups of life stages for different generations for dividing said lifestyles into distinct groups within each generation of consumers;    analazingh a tird set of data relating to current and future product characteristics required by consumers to determine requirements in different lifestyles within each life stage and each generation of consumers;    utilizing data correlated from the first, second and third sets of data to determine required product characteristics for future products; and    assembling data relating to the required product characteristics into a product specification for the future product.    
     
     
         8 . A method for accomplishing a multi-generational product strategy, said method comprising the steps of: 
 analayinga dat relating to consumer life stages for determining divisions between distinct groups therein;    analazinga dat relating to lifestyles within said distinct groups of consumer life stages for different generations for determining divisions within each generation of consumers;    analazinga dat relating to time-dependent product characteristics required by consumers to determine requirements of different lifestyles within each consumer life stage and each generation of consumers;    utilizing results of the analysis to determine required product characteristics for future products; and    assembling information relating to the required product characteristics into a product specification for the future product.